CHP leader critical of Erdoğan for Trump’s letter

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of not returning a letter by U.S. President Donald Trump severely.

“A letter came to Erdoğan. A heavy letter came from Trump that our history would not accept. The one, who has to maintain honor and glory of Turkey failed to do so,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, addressing his party members at the parliament.

“We said ‘return the letter exactly’; he did not. He didn’t even say the letter wasn’t right. He said,’I’d present the letter to Trump,’” the CHP leader said, referring to a recent meeting between Erdoğan and Trump in Washington where the Turkish president said he presented the letter back to his American counterpart.

He questioned what Turkey has achieved from the meeting in the U.S. “Have you gone to make negotiation for S-400s? Trump says they would work with the YPG; he [Erdoğan] does not object,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Recalling that the U.S. did not extradite Fetullah Gülen, who Ankara blames for masterminding a failed coup attempt in July 15, 2016, Kılıçdaroğlu asked why Ankara does not request extradition of Reza Zarrab who was arrested in the U.S. in 2016 over evading sanctions on Iran. Zarrab had become the U.S. prosecution’s top witness in the trial.

“He cannot ask extradition of Reza Zarrab. Zarrab was distributing bribes,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu also criticized Erdoğan for not objecting to Trump’s question after their meeting on the issue of providing Turkish citizenship to nearly 4 million Syrian refugees.

The CHP leader said his party wants to send all these refugees back to their country.

“I don’t believe you’re a person who defends the interests of the country. You’re the representative of world powers in Turkey. What have you been doing in the Middle East swamp?” he asked.